Unplugged Christmas

In the last week or so as we have walked around, both in Cape Cod and here in Williamsburg, most of the walking has been during daylight hours and I have been noticing the simple seasonal decorating; what I call "unplugged Christmas" decor. In a time when flash, and bling, and twinkle is so popular it is very refreshing to see simple beauty.

While visiting Colonial Williamsburg, we took a few walking tours and were educated a little on "christmas past". It certainly was not the splashy affair we know today. The actual Colonial Williamsburg decorations we think of did not come about until the 1940's. It was determined that if the early Colonists had decorated this is possibly how they would have done it. All speculation of course, but entertaining and certainly very pretty in a simple way. Here are a few (well maybe more than a few, but dang it all, it was hard to narrow it down to just three or four) of my favourites.

Pineapples, peppers, seashells and magnolia leaves.

Greenery, lady apples, hot peppers, seed pods, pomegranates and pheasant feathers. Not a light or a twinkle to be seen, but stunningly beautiful!

I'm like anyone else and can marvel at the light and glitter, but if a choice has to be made, give me natural elements, assembled with creativity any day.

“To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life. ” 
― John Burroughs